The Final Gong

Mr. Frank's Avalanche of Audio

 I've got three announcements of an aural nature. Excited? I knew you would be. 

(Hey! Let a guy dream.)

First and foremost, DEATH GETS A BOOK is now an audiobook available on Audible. I decided it was time to get some of my work out there in audiobook format. I didn't expect the task of finding the right narrator for the job as daunting as it turned out to be. The process made me realize how much I value my work and when placing into the hands of someone else to care for, I wanted to be sure I had the exact right voice for the job. 

Well, I failed at that. What happened was I connected with a voice talent that exceeded my expectations. Ron Gabaldon, the narrator for DEATH GETS A BOOK audiobook, owned the story. He didn't just read the story, he owned the story. I don't hear him narrating the book so much as performing the story. DEATH GETS A BOOK is a vocal performance, entertaining from the first word to the last.

If you are an active audiobook listener, you need to check DEATH GETS A BOOK out. I'm confidant you'll be whisked away to the land of Grim Reapers I've created and Ron Gabaldon has brought to life. 

*(A special offer to those who read this blog: The first 5 interested parties to email me (frankjedler at gmail) will receive a free download code (US and UK) for DEATH GETS A BOOK at Audible.com)

The other two audio presentations I have for you are recent podcast appearances.

First, I found this great new horror focused podcast called The Horror Frequency whose host, Anthony, is a young, curious talent who produces a fun sounding show. You can check out my appearance on The Horror Frequency on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Radio Public and more. We talk about A DEATH IN TOLEDO, creepy places in New Jersey, unlikely books two horror guys are into and great kaiju movies.

And last, but not least, I made my triumphant return to Arm Cast, Dead Sexy Podcast. I have a fun conversation with Armand Rosamilia about why it was time to write a new Death book, adventures in marketing, what I'm doing to sell books in the pandemic era and I even coax a "Nice" out of Armand which is essential to claiming a great appearance on the show. 

There it is. More audio pleasures than you can shake a stick at. And, I don't know about you, but I can shake a stick at quite a bit of audio pleasure. Happy listening!

A

3 Picks with Somer Canon

 

Its time for 3 Picks! This week with author and podcaster Somer Canon. Somer is the author of uniquely twisted books like Vicki Beautiful and The Hag Witch of Tripp Creek. Her most recent release from Silver Shamrock Press, Slaves to Gravity, co-written with Wesley Southard has been getting a lot of great buzz.

In addition to writing, Somer also enjoys podcasting. She is part of the round-table writing discussion podcast, The Ghost Writers Podcast (also featuring Mary SanGiovani, Matt Wildasen and Dave Thomas.) And Somer also hosts her own podcast called A Case for Classics in which she spotlights classic literature and tries to convince the listeners that the books aren't boring drivel to waste time in lit class but bona fide, accessible stories worth reading.

It is with that in mind that Somer shares her 3 Picks for must read Classic Fiction. They are all worth checking out. Somer should know, here's her case for the classics.

My picks for must-read Classics:  Since "classics" can be a very broad term including works published in the last decade, I'm going to make my list consist of "antique" classics, a.k.a. old books written by people who are now dead!

Pick 1: Dante's Inferno.  The Inferno is part one of a three part piece called The Divine Comedy and while I certainly wouldn't chase someone away from reading the entire work, The Inferno is my personal favorite part.  This story contains absolutely breathtaking imagery of Hell as well as a healthy dose of fourteenth century Italian pettiness.  Also be on the lookout for one of classical literature's best fart jokes.

Pick 2.   Beowulf--particularly the Seamus Heaney translation.  This is an important work in  Western Literature but it is important to know that it is a foundational work in modern Fantasy.  J.R.R. Tolkien was OBSESSED with Beowulf.  It has all the hallmarks of a great Adventure/Fantasy book including monsters and excessive bragging.  If you don't personally think Beowulf is great, don't worry.  His high opinion of himself surpasses any criticism from us low-lives.  

Pick 3. The Odyssey.  I had a Latin teacher in college who said that if she were stranded on a deserted island, as long as she had a copy of The Odyssey and a fresh water source, she'd be perfectly happy.  I might need a McDonald's on top of that, but I sort of agree.  This is a book that blesses its audience with new details and surprises on subsequent reads.  It has a relatable, but flawed hero as the main character and I've always loved the underlying plot of the Greek gods being passive aggressive with each other by both helping and sabotaging Odysseus on his journey home.  

Great picks from Somer Canon! I'm sure many of us were subjected to several, if not all, of these titles in our school years. They are all classics for a reason and that reason is they are great stories that appeal to humans of any age and any time. Check them out if you haven't already.

What 3 picks do you have for The Classics? Let us know in the comments!

You can check out all things Somer Canon by visiting https://www.somercanon.com/

Podcast Killed The YouTube Star

SCATTERBRAIN is out running wild in the book world. That means it's time for me to start my media blitz. As you may or may not already be aware, I host my own podcast, Bizzong! The Bizarre and Weird Fiction Podcast on the Project Entertainment Network. But to get the word out about the new book I have to cast a wider net.

As you may or may not have noticed, I've appeared on several different podcasts recently. So let this entry serve as your one-stop-shop as your own personal Mr. Frank Radio Network launch pad. I'll give you the skinny on all the shows I've made appearances on recently.

The NEW Panic Room Radio Show:  The Panic Room airs live Thursday nights via BlogTalkRadio. You can listen to hosts Xtine Marie and James Longmore as they chat with writers from all walks of life and you can also listen back as a podcast after the show airs. One of the few live shows that do it right.

The Sample Chapter Podcast:  A great new book related podcast that I've really been digging on. The Sample Chapter Podcast is hosted by Jason Meuschke who conducts a short interview and then allows the feature author to read a sample chapter from one of their published books. You can listen to hear a sample from SCATTERBRAIN here.

The Lunch Ladies Book Club Podcast: The Lunch Ladies Book Club, hosted by Shelly Rosamilia is an audio book club. Shelly (along with occasional special guests) does a deep dive into the books she has been reading. On this episode, I join Shelly to discuss John Wayne Comunale's DEATH PACTS AND LEFT HAND PATHS. Did we like the book? Listen to find out!

Bizzong! The Bizarre and Weird Fiction Podcast: No matter what you do make sure to check out my podcast, Bizzong! where I interview everyone who is anyone that writes, eats and breaths bizarre and weird fiction. Every Monday, exclusively on the Project Entertainment Network.








You can also hear become a patron of the Project Entertainment Network to listen in to the new episode of NOT Bizzong! A Patreon Exclusive Podcast of the Project Entertainment Network where I pull back the curtain on your favorite network podcasts to find out what makes them tick. Consider becoming a patron now for as little as $1 a month.

Thanks for listening and make sure you check out the new book, SCATTERBRAIN. Available for Kindle eBook and paperback. Also available to subscribers of Kindle Unlimited.